Darkest Flame

“By close, I suppose you mean they had sex,” Tristan said as he finished putting on his jeans.

 

Guy had his jeans on, but didn’t fasten them as he walked to the dead bodies. “Of course they had sex. The attraction was evident to everyone.” He turned back to Rhys and stared at him with pale brown eyes. “Kellan was occupied, but that wouldna have stopped him from noticing if something was wrong.”

 

“Because nothing was wrong,” Rhys stated. “It wasna until dawn that I saw the first movement in the trees. I remained in the sky watching the house to see if they would dare to approach, but they kept their distance. I knew Kellan would be able to handle anything, so I attacked the humans. Only then did I see the magic from the windows.”

 

“Fuck!” Con shouted and turned away.

 

They were all surprised at Con’s show of emotion. He was the one who always kept his cool, the one who could order someone’s death without hesitation.

 

Rhys let the soft breeze rush over his heated skin. He wished he was done explaining, but he had one more bit of news. “There’s more. Rhi was here.”

 

Constantine whirled around, his blond hair windblown and his black eyes hard as ice as he speared Rhys with a glare. “What?”

 

“I’m no’ some lackey you can threaten in that soft tone of yours belying your fury,” Rhys said as he took a threatening step toward Con.

 

Guy stepped between them, his hands out, looking first at Rhys and then Con. “He’s right, Con. Rein it in, or Rhys willna be the only one beating the shit out of you.”

 

Con pushed Guy’s hand away, his nostrils flaring. “What did she want?”

 

“Rhi?” Tristan asked. “Is that the female Fae I keep hearing about who showed up at Dreagan?”

 

Kiril nodded. “Aye.”

 

“Then she must be trying to help.”

 

Con swiveled his head to the youngest King. “Help? That Fae has done nothing but tear Dragon Kings apart. She wouldna know the meaning of the word help.”

 

“Then why did she wake Kellan and Denae before the Dark Ones arrived?” Rhys shouted.

 

Con laughed dryly. “You always believe everything she says.”

 

“Fuck you too, Con,” Rhys said.

 

Guy ignored Con and faced Rhys. “Where is Rhi now?”

 

Rhys turned away and raked a hand through his hair, frustration riding him hard. “I asked her to tell me where one of their doorways was so I could go after Kellan.”

 

“You idiot,” Kiril said, but there was no heat in his words. “I hope you didna plan to go alone.”

 

Rhys rolled his eyes. “Sod off.”

 

Guy cut his gaze to Kiril and looked back at Rhys. “And?”

 

“Rhi refused.”

 

Con barked with laughter. “Of course she did. How silly of me to ever doubt her.”

 

Rhys was finding it increasingly difficult not to land his fist on Con’s jaw. “She said she would find Kellan and Denae and help them escape.”

 

“She’s putting her own life at risk,” Kiril said softly.

 

Con folded his arms over his chest. “If you think that, then you doona remember the Fae.”

 

“I remember them perfectly,” Kiril stated harshly. “Perhaps it’s you with the clouded vision.”

 

Guy shoved his long hair out of his eyes and muttered curse words. “We’re lucky Rhi was here and is still willing to help us. You know if we go into the Fae realm the war will begin all over again. The Fae—Light and Dark—will take it as a show of force. We doona want them aligning together again.”

 

Rhys pulled the mobile from his back pocket. “One more thing. An agent was on the phone describing the scene to someone. We need to trace the number to see who it belongs to. It could be the arse who’s trying to oust us.”

 

“We wouldna get that lucky,” Tristan said.

 

Kiril held out his hand for the mobile. “We might. Let me see it.”

 

Rhys handed him the phone and Kiril walked to the house to the computers inside. Rhys looked back at Con. “We need to go to Ireland.”

 

“Damn,” Guy said.

 

“How long do we have?” Tristan asked.

 

Rhys exchanged a glance with Guy. “For Kellan there is no time limit, no’ really. They’ll torture him repeatedly, but they can no’ kill him. He knows what happens to Kings at the hands of the Dark. He’ll hold out as long as he can.”

 

“It’s Denae,” Tristan said with a nod.

 

Rhys looked at the house, wondering what he might have done differently. “He gave Denae his promise to keep her alive.”

 

“Promises are broken all the time.”

 

Guy rubbed the back of his neck. “Kellan was still sleeping when you came to us, Tristan, so you doona know him. Kellan rarely gives anyone his word, and when he does, he willna break it.”

 

“Then I suggest we get our arses to Ireland,” Tristan stated bluntly, his dark brown eyes meeting Rhys’s.

 

Rhys couldn’t agree more. He would go with or without Con’s agreement.

 

“If I go, the Fae will take it as a slight,” Con said.

 

Rhys couldn’t hold back the sarcasm as he said, “I doona know why. You’re such a nice guy in war.”